Fire and Ice
by TangleFox
Summary: When Jorah Mormont receives word of his fathers dying wish to forgive him of his crimes, Daenerys takes a great risk in traveling across the Narrow Sea, to the Wall where Jorah intends to take the Black. Quietly seeking Northern allies, she may find much more in the brooding Jon Snow. Will fire and ice ignite? Or will she find love in the arms of a traitor?
1. Chapter 1

**FIRE & ICE**  
_'Some say the world will end in fire,_  
_Some say in ice._  
_From what I've tasted of desire_  
_I hold with those who favor fire._  
_But if it had to perish twice,_  
_I think I know enough of hate_  
_To say that for destruction ice_  
_Is also great_  
_And would suffice.'_  
- Robert Frost

**CHAPTER 1 - DAENERYS**

{{**My story unltimately takes place during book three, 'A Storm of Swords'. Some of the information from the books and television series may be disregarded or rearranged to allow my story to work. While I will be writing a serious romance between Daenerys and Jon Snow, in the end it is just creative fun. I am in no way affiliated with George R.R. Martin or his work. Enjoy!**}}

Dany lay on a pile of furs below decks, her dragons coiled around her shoulders, sharing what little heat that they could from her shivering body. _I'm going to die out here_, she thought, pulling the faded lion pelt - the last gift from her beloved husband- tighter about herself.

She had given it all up, her vast army and everything she had conquered across the Narrow Sea. And all for the promises of the traitor, Jorah Mormont and the rolling seas and frozen winds that she now rode toward a growing sense of dread. The Bite was a fitting name for such treacherous waters. For every league they traveled Northward, Dany felt the teeth of winter sink deeper into her flesh.

_Soon it will still my very heart. Fire cannot kill a dragon, but ice..._

Daenerys felt that she had made a fatal mistake. One month after she had cast Jorah Mormont forever from her sight and service, he had returned and plead with her to travel with him north across the Narrow sea. His crimes had been forgiven, he told her, it was his father's dying wish. A message had been sent for him to return home, out of exile and take his oath as a brother of the Night's Watch. Daenerys had thought him mad at first to return and test her wrath, but the more he spoke of the men on the Wall, their forces and neutral standing, the more she began to listen.

Jorah's father had been a well respected commander until his death. If Jorah took an oath, he would surely rise in the chain of command amongst petty thieves, murderers and rapists. No matter how he had hurt Dany with his betrayal, she could not deny his way with a sword or his natural skill as a leader. She was also unable to deny that small part of herself that, despite everything, still trusted him. And she knew he spoke the truth when he told her that she could conquer the entirety of Essos and it would not bring her any closer to taking the Iron Throne.

Jorah proposed they gather forces in Westeros first, and discreetly, before risking everything in bringing her army of eunuchs across the Narrow Sea.  
"It is best to have friends waiting on the other side before moving an army, Khaleesi." he had told her.

But could she truly call Jorah 'friend?' She had once trusted him more than any other, and had later found out the truth of his loyalty. She felt that she had faltered... a dragon trapped in ice. All she could do now was wait and pray that Jorah would not betray her again. A most foolish gamble for one who would be a queen... she thought, trembling. Viserion, always uniquely sensitive to her emotions, curled reassuringly around her neck and began to make gentle thrumming noises into her ear as Dany fell into a fitful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**JORAH**

It had been a long and hard journey over sea and to the North. They had met with a brother in black at the Eastwatch and continued along the Wall by horse. Sturdy beasts they were, and accustomed to the harsh winds of winter. A mount had been provided for Daenerys as well, but she had taken quite ill on their journey. Unsettled by her listless gaze, Jorah took her upon his own horse, sitting her before himself so he might keep a hold of her if she should fall.

Indeed, the further North they drew, the worse her condition seemed to become. He had provided her with proper furs and cloak to keep out the worst of winter, but it seemed nothing could warm his Khaleesi. As they rode slowly toward Castle Black, her shoulders seemed to slump ever forward with each step in his horse's gait. He longed to pull her closer against him, to share his warmth and bury his face in her hair, but he could never dare to do so. She had rejected him, banished him, and yet she had given him another chance. He didn't deserve her trust, and that made what he was about to tell her even harder. He wasn't sure how far the limits of her faith would stretch before breaking for good.

"Khaleesi..."

Daenerys stirred before him ever so slightly. He was ashamed to feel a stirring of his own where their hips met in the saddle. After the slightest murmur of acknowledgement, Jorah continued softly,

"I'm afraid that when we reach Castle Black, I must present you as a captive."

Daenerys turned her head weakly, and her dull violet eyes, usually so full of fire and stubborness met his own. "You've betrayed me again." Dany whispered, hurt and confused.

A pained look crossed Jorah's features. "No Khaleesi, never."

He took the reins in one hand so he might catch her chin gently in the other. "Please Khaleesi, it is the only way. You will be cast out of Castle Black the moment I become a sworn brother, otherwise. Crows may not keep with women and they would hold us suspect. It is the only way for me to keep you near and out of sight. I'm afraid a Targaryen is easily distinguished, and it would not take a wise man to identify you."

Daenerys pulled her chin away from his hand and was silent for a long time.

"And my dragons?" She asked, finally.

"Safe with you at all times, Khaleesi. I'll see to it."

And indeed, they were tucked soundly in a large satchel beneath cloak and fur before her. Just as the cold seemed to drain Daenerys, her dragons had gone into long spells of sleep, waking only to take their meals most days.

"I trust you, Ser." Dany murmured so lightly that the howling wind almost carried her words from him.

But he had heard, and Jorah's eyes closed for a brief moment as he gathered the reins pulling her a little closer. He would have to take great care to keep her from being discovered. In light of his father's death, the name of Mormont would gain him a high standing amongst the brothers, but he couldn't keep Daenerys there for long without question.

Dany interrupted his thoughts as her head fell back against his shoulder. She had fallen into a dark dream, pursued through snow and ice by a ghostly wolf with glowing red eyes. Her body jerked and brow furrowed as her eyes darted beneath their lids.

Jorah frowned as he watched her dream and leaned in ever so slightly to brush his lips against her cheek. Dany's countenance quickly softened into a more peaceful repose, her body relaxing against him. He knew in that moment, as he had in so many others, that he would have done anything to win her affections. Never had his heart suffered as greatly as the day she learned of his betrayal and turned him away.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**DAENERYS**  
When Daenerys woke she found that they were still riding, though the sun had sunk far below the treeline. While it had grown darker, she felt somehow warmer than when she had drifted off into her troubled dreams. Looking down, she saw that Ser Jorah had wrapped his cloak tightly about the both of them to preserve what heat he could.

_I'm afraid that when we reach Castle Black, I must present you as a captive_- Dany recalled the Bear's words. Despite her assurance of trust, she felt suddenly vulnerable, _how did I let myself fall into the open with only the promise of a traitor to hold onto_? she thought fearfully. She had conquered so many in Essos, true, but she had done so carefully and with an army at her heels. She wasn't a warrior, she was barely a woman, and her dragons were still so young. And now her army lay across the Narrow Sea, awaiting her summons.

_A summons that may never come._

Why must she play captive? Would she be kept under lock and key? Shackled? Cast into the cold and darkness- the dungeons of Castle Black? The very thought stilled Dany's heart for many a beat. A dragon needed warmth and light, she needed to drink the sun, swallow it's fire and lay flame to any who would deny her right to the iron throne. Yet here she was, isolated and alone in the frozen waste of the North with only her Jorah, the man whom she had trusted above all and who in turn had cut her so deeply.

He claimed that he had never meant to harm her, would never harm her, and she could see the fire of truth in his eyes, burning fiercely, pleading with her to open her heart to him once more.

_And you softened to your beloved Bear, the only friend you've ever known... now, perhaps, you'll pay the price._

Her train of thought was stolen when Jorah spoke very near to her ear, "Khaleesi, do you sleep still?"

Daenerys turned her head slightly, "I have only just woke, though I fear I've gained little from my slumber."

She heard the Bear make a soft sound of concern before continuing, "We must stop for the night, or this beast may buckle beneath us before we reach the gates. A winter's night is not kind to a horse with one passenger, much less two."

"Stop?" Dany asked, looking about her. To their left was the looming Wall, cold and impenetrable. To their right was a thick forest, wild and brooding. She could feel it's many eyes upon them.

"Yes, Khaleesi. The trees will provide suitable if not ideal shelter for one night. Tomorrow, we will reach Castle Black."

Dany shrank back against him. "I don't wish to go into that forest, Ser Jorah."

And to her surprise, he chuckled lightly. "Nor I, highness. But I'm afraid our options are quite limited. I'll not let you come to any harm, you have my word."

_We'll see what your word is worth, Ser_... Dany thought as he turned their steed toward the dark trees. _I am a Dragon, I must not be afraid_.

Once they were beneath the tangled boughs, darkness began to creep towards them. They rode much further than she would have liked before stopping at a partially uprooted tree that provided some shelter from the bitter cold. Jorah dismounted, and she tried to follow suit before falling the rest of the way down into his ready arms. Her weakened body trembled violently from such little effort.

"Khaleesi..." he implored, turning her gently to observe her ashen face. Her purple eyes were dull, but they were still with him.

"There is no warmth for me in this forest, my friend. Nor beyond that Wall." Daenerys murmured, barely audible. "These frozen lands look upon me as a stranger and would cast me back from where I came."

She could feel Jorah's eyes boring into her. Uncomfortable, she moved slowly and carefully to tie the horse's reins to a low branch and fed him a few handfuls of oats from their saddlebags. The shaggy animal nudged her palm gratefully until she had no more to offer. All the while, she felt the eyes of her Bear upon her. When she finally turned, she found that he had made the best he could of their furs.

"Were the trees not soaked through with the snows I would have built you a fire, Khaleesi."

"Don't trouble yourself over the matter, Ser. I will have regained my strength in the morning" Daenerys answered. She collapsed upon the pelts, wrapped tightly in her cloak. She held her satchel close against her stomach, the gentle swelling of sleeping dragons was reassuring.

Ser Jorah settled himself back against a damp, knotted root to keep watch against the night. Daenerys eyes found his in what little light remained. "Will you not take any sleep for yourself or a fur to fend away the cold?"

Ser Jorah looked upon her for a while before answering, "Sleep is yours tonight, Khaleesi. Meet it well."

(NOTE TO READERS: Jon will be entering the story in Chapter 5, in case you were wondering. This is something of a love triangle, so bear with me. ;)


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

**JORAH**  
Ser Jorah's watch that night was nothing less than torment. Aside from the bone numbing chill, the thing which he desired most lay on a bed of furs just before him, sleeping softly.

Daenery's silvery hair caught the stray beams of moonlight that found their way to the forest floor, making her look ethereal.

_And indeed she might be.._ Jorah wondered to himself. He had never met her like and knew he never again would. Even if he should travel all of Westeros, from the wild north, to the coast of the Sunspear, there would never be another Daenerys Targaryen. He had watched her transform from a timid child, lost in her obedience to her brother, into a beautiful Khaleesi who had conquered so much, his heart included. She was proud and headstrong, fierce as any dragon before her, but she was also the kindest woman he had ever known. He had seen her reach out to those who had nothing left in this world, to comfort and hold them to her breast. Even without a throne, she was a queen in his eyes, and the eyes of so many others.

_But they are all far across the Narrow Sea. Westeros has no patience for further claim to the throne. It has too many contenders as it is. _

His thoughts were interrupted when their horse began to paw restlessly at the snow with one of his hooves. Jorah thought nothing of it at first, but the movements grew ever rapid and when he looked up, he could see the white of the creatures eyes.

Jorah rose, walking toward the uneasy beast, speaking soothing words below his breath, but before he could reach out to place a calming hand on it's flank, the horse reared up, tossing it's head and snapping the branch to which it was tethered. Jorah lunged for the reins, but to no avail, the frightened gelding took flight into the forest before he could secure a hold.

"Seven Hells!" Jorah swore through his teeth. He stole one darting look to make sure Daenery's was still sleeping, and then plunged into the trees after their mount. He did not want to think of what might happen to them should they have to travel on foot along the Wall.  
The black gelding crashed frantically through the woods, paying little heed to path or limb and Jorah followed as best he could. Here, beneath the trees, with their gnarled arms to catch a share of the snows, the knight could move more easily without a mount. But a horse was still a great deal faster than a man. He could only hope that it's fear would soon subside.

"Bloody beast." Jorah's breath came harsher and heavier with each passing minute, and it seemed the horse would never rest. Only when he had begun to consider the pain involved in freezing to death, did he realize the gelding was rushing straight into a thicket. Branch and vine wove tightly together until it could no longer move forward. Jorah closed in behind, raising both of his hands.

"Easy now, devil! Calm yourself."

The horse was breathing as hard as Jorah. Foam dripped from his mouth as he chomped at the bit, his eyes rolling wildly.  
The knight reached out slowly to grab the reins, talking all the while.

"That's it, boy. You've just gone and given yourself a fright, now." Inching forward, his fingers brushed the rough leathered reins.

As soon as he was able to grab a hold of it's head, Jorah swung into the saddle and drove his heels into the beast's heaving sides. In it's panic, a clear path had been left behind that he now followed back to Daenerys. He drove the horse fater and faster, intending to exhaust his mount until it thought nothing of fear and only of rest.

He arrived back at their camp feeling almost exhilarated from the chase. But the feeling disappeared immediately. When Jorah's eyes fell upon the pile of furs, his face drained of color. Daenerys was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 4**

**DAENERYS**  
The sound of racing hooves and breaking branches stirred Dany from her sleep. She shivered uncontrollably, sitting up from beneath her furs.  
Jorah was gone.

"Jorah?" Dany whispered through chattering teeth.

Her hand flew to the leather satchel at her side, in fear that the knight had stolen her precious children and galloped off into the forest. But the dragons were all there, still sleeping safe and sound. Dany's eyes strained against the darkness. _Where have you gone, Jorah?_

Everything was silent now, save for the branches above groaning softly under the weight of ice and snow. Daenerys noticed a disturbance in the snow where their horse had obviously taken to the woods in a flurry of hooves. _Was this Jorah's plan? To leave me here to die?_  
She started to rise shakily from her pelts when a flash of movement caught her eye. Dany stood abruptly.

"Jorah?!" she called out- but there was no reply and she couldn't him out against the trees.

"Jorah are you out there?" Dany cried out a second time.

Fearful, she began to move in the direction of the hoofprints, when she heard the faint snap of a twig. Daenerys nearly lost her footing on the frozen snow as she spun to face the sound. Her hands trembled, clutching the satchel closer to her body. She could could feel one of her dragons stirring from within.

_Where is my knight? Where is the Bear who promised to protect me?_

Without her khalasar, her army- without the sun on her back and dust beneath her feet- without... Jorah, Daenerys had never felt so alone. So exposed. It was while dwelling on this thought, that her violet eyes brought a small figure into focus. As stark white as any tree against the night, she had almost missed him. But not twenty feet before her stood a small child, pale and clothed in rags.

Dany's breath caught in her throat. The poor child could hardly be alive in such bitter cold, with so little to warm him. And indeed his pallor seemed to suggest he was dancing with death. Her heart went out to the child, he couldn't have been more than ten. Daenerys extended her hand outward, taking a slow step forward.

"I won't hurt you, little one. Come, I have furs, you can warm yourself."

She had no real hopes of the child living, only of giving him a pair of arms to pass gently in. She took a few more tentative steps forward, showing she meant no threat, but the boy turned slowly and began to walk away into the darkness.

"No..." Dany breathed. She was afraid to let the only other sign of life slip away. So she followed, her boots struggling to grip the frozen ground and barely keeping sight of the small figure. If nothing else, perhaps he could lead her to other people. Surely someone lived within these troubled trees. Dany vaguely remembered her brother telling her stories of Wildlings who lived in the haunted forests of the North.

_This forest may claim two more spirits before the night's end_, she thought, her body struggling against the effort of keeping up with the young wanderer. The savage bite of Winter was destroying her inner fire, her life's essence...

But Dany continued ever forward, her head eventually bowing down against the cold. When she felt as if she could go no further, Daenerys looked ahead and was shocked to find the young boy facing her- standing so still he seemed not even to breathe. He was a lot closer than before, and there was something in his deepset eyes, an icy glint of blue, that completely rid her of any desire to move nearer.

Daenerys stopped in her tracks. "Are- are you alright?"

The boy cocked his head slightly, but made no indication that he had heard or understood her.

"Where are your parents? Your kin?"

A low, gritty sound came from the child, as if he had rock and earth caught in his throat. _He's dying..._ Dany thought to herself. But still, she could make no further move toward the boy. Something deep in her bones told her to stay away, _far_ away. Perhaps he was dying not of the cold, but of some terrible plague. Maybe his family had cast him off into the wilderness to die, in hopes that they would not meet the same fate.  
Suddenly the boy lurched forward. Dany gasped taking an instinctual step backwards. Her back met with a tree and the boy moved slowly towards her.

"What is your name? Dany asked him, her voice weak but clear. The night seemed to have gone completely still around them. The only sound was the continued rattle from the child's throat. The nearer he drew, the louder and more intense it seemed to become. Dany, unwilling to stray her eyes, felt her way around the tree and began to take large steps back. The boy stopped for a moment to observe her, seeming to understand that she did not wish him to come any nearer. Relieved, Dany began to speak again, but her words caught in her throat when the boy lunged forward.

Dany jumped, the heel of her boot glancing off a thin patch of ice. She fell backwards, snapping a small branch painfully beneath her as she hit the ground. She kicked at the snow, trying to propel herself away from the foul child, who now looked more like a starving beast leaping down upon her.  
Daenerys' scream echoed through the woods as she threw up her arms in defense. But the impact she had been expecting never came. Instead, she heard a gentle thud in the snow beside her. She lowered one arm slowly, her violet eyes searching for the child.

And there he lay, gray as the snow around him, twitching horribly and gnashing his teeth- an arrow lodged deeply between his brows. Daenerys choked back another scream, managing to swallow it's sound.

"Who are you?" A soft, but commanding voice demanded of her.

Daenerys twisted violently, to find a massive beast, a wolf- eyes red as blood crouched behind her. She gasped, closing her eyes. When she dared to open them again, the wolf was gone and in it's place, a man, clad all in black, seated upon a dark steed, his next arrow notched and pointed at her breast.

**(Note to readers: Before you say anything, I'm well aware that white walkers do not die that easily. It will be addressed in the next chapter. ;) Also, if you'd like to check out my Dany costume/cosplay, visit my profile for a link to my Tumblr. Just posted some good pics of the nearly completed gear!) Happy reading, loves 3 :))


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6 **

**JON**  
Jon kept his bow drawn on the strange woman. He and a few of his rangers had been combing the forest for remnants of Mance Rayder's people.

"I asked you a question- speak now or I'll loose my arrow. Are you a Wildling woman?"

The girl seemed speechless, but slowly shook her head glancing from him to the flailing Walker at her side. Jon sighed, putting his arrow back in it's quiver. He swung down from his Garron, unsheathing his sword in one swift motion. He took a steady step towards her, indicating with his blade for her to move away from the boy's twitching body.

She stood, legs shaking and took several willing steps back. _She doesn't know what it is..._ Jon pondered. It wasn't many Wildlings he'd met that were ignorant to the existence of Walkers and their wight-born.

"Do you know what that is?" Jon cocked his head, pointing again with his blade.

The young woman shook her head once more, her eyes meeting his own briefly. _Purple eyes..._ his brow furrowed. _And honest._ This girl couldn't be a Wildling. Even if she'd once heard stories of the Others, they were so far lost in her memory that this encounter brought no recollection.

Jon swept forward, his cloak dusting the snowy earth. Raising his sword, one precise swing seperated head from body.  
The girl watched horrified. But not, he noticed with interest, at the beheading of a child. Her repulsion came moments after, when the body continued to thrash, and the eyes rolled angrily in their head.

"What-" her words cut off as she watched the boy's hands clawing in her direction.

Jon's dark eyes studied her steadily. "White Walkers," he said bluntly.

"Walkers?"

"Yes. Not this one. This one is a wight... nothing but fire will still it's flesh."

Her violet eyes met his once again. "Fire?"

"Yes. And I haven't the means for one, I'm afraid." He said distractedly. He took a step forward wanting to examine the woman more closely, but she shrank from him.

Even in the faintest light of moon, he could tell she was more beautiful than any woman he had ever laid eyes upon. _But those EYES_- Purple, offset by her silvery hair... _Not possible_. Jon raised his sword a little higher.

"Who are you?"  
The girl searched him for some time. "Do you intend to kill me?"

"Not if you speak true, and I warn you, I'll know. Now, tell me your name."

She looked down, seeming to contemplate her position. She had no weapons that he could see, and her trembling legs spoke not of fear, but exhaustion. She would not get far if she tried to escape him.

The girl pulled her shoulders back, suddenly, and he could see in her a certain pride- the glimmer of a great woman. She seemed to have resolved something within herself when she spoke.

"If it please you, and if it should spare my life to give you my name... I am the Mother of Dragons."

Jon did not look impressed and was clearly losing patience. "Mother of Dragons is it? That's no name. I warned you..."

But the woman had turned her back to him and stepped forward to crouch beside the body of the boy.

"Stay back from-" But Jon was cut off when the corpse suddenly erupted into blinding flame. The heat that washed over him was so intense that he had to throw an arm to shield his eyes.

"Bloody hell!" Jon lowered his arm just in time to see something slither back into the girl's satchel.

She looked at him now, her form a shadow against the dancing flames. She started to speak, but Jon never gave her the chance. He lunged forward, knocking her back into a tree and taking her cloak roughly in his free hand. Pinned firmly into place, the girl pushed against him desperately at first, but the effort was short lived, her body overcome with fatigue.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" He demanded fiercely, his dark eyes searching for answers. Behind him, the wight had grown still, the sickly smell of burning flesh cutting the night air.

The girl raised her chin proudly with the last of her strength, her eyes glazed with exhaustion. "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. And I am the Mother of Dragons."  
Jon fell back stunned, releasing the girl into a weary heap upon the frozen ground.

"Daenerys Targaryen..." He whispered in disbelief, his breath swirling before him. But he knew that she had spoken true.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7 **

**JORAH**  
Jorah whipped his gasping steed around as a distant scream rang out through the forest.

"Daenerys!" he breathed, his blood running cold.

Mormont dug his heels into the horse's side, driving the poor beast forward at full speed. Branches tore cruelly at them as they crashed trough the trees, the winter night flashing by in a blur.

"Foolish child!" He growled.

What would possess the princess to leave their camp? Had she gone looking for him? The only thing that overwhelmed his frustration with Daenerys was disappointment in himself. His blood pulsed frantically, filling his head with the sound. _If anything should happen to her, I'll settle for no less than the same fate_, he thought as they raced forward. _I promised to protect her_.

They galloped onward for nearly a mile, every moment seeming an eternity. He had heard not a sound since the chilling scream that had stilled his heart. He kept his mount on in the direction from whence it came, but he was afraid to call out to her. Who knew what kind of men roamed these woods. _Hard men_... _you'd have to be to survive here_. If he called out to his beloved princess, they might ambush him, or worse- kill her.  
The thought itself was torment enough.

Jorah brought his horse to a sudden, sliding stop. He could feel the poor creature's legs trembling beneath him, it's breath coming in large, rasping gasps.

Just ahead, the trees were lit up in a firey blaze. Jorah leapt from the horse's back, hardly taking a moment to tether the reins to a branch. The poor gasping beast wasn't going anywhere. The knight unsheathed his sword and crept forward as swiftly and quietly as possible.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" an angry voice rang out suddenly.

Jorah stopped breathing. All was deathly silent for several long moments, save for the crackling of fire. A nauseating smell washed over him, and one that he recognized well. _Burning flesh..._

All at once, a soft but familiar voice met his ears. He closed his eyes in silent prayer. To the old gods or the new, he did not care. His Khaleesi was alive.

"I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. And I am the Mother of Dragons."

_No... Daenerys, NO!_

He rushed forward just in time to see a man in black release her from his grasp. The man's sword glinted in the moonlight as Daenery's crumpled to the ground.

Jorah burst from the trees, swinging his sword down upon the other man with all his strength. The ranger only just raised his own weapon in time to deflect the blow. But that was not enough to keep the impact from knocking him onto the ground. The hilt fell from his hand involuntarily as the shock of the knight's blow coursed painfully through his arm.

Jorah rushed to Daenerys' side, keeping his sword at the ready.

"Khaleesi?!" he demanded, his voice racked with emotion. His pressed two fingers to the soft skin of her throat. Her heart fluttered weakly beneath them.

"Sweet child, speak to me please!"

Dany's eyes drifted slowly to his. "Why did you leave me?" she whispered.

Jorah blinked the stinging salt from his eyes, and pressed his forehead to hers, taking a handful of her silvery hair.

"I'll not leave you again, my princess."

He turned hard eyes upon the stranger who had since reclaimed his weapon. _He knows her name, which means he also knows her claim... I cannot allow him to live._

Jorah rose slowly, taking his sword in both hands and stepped forward to meet his opponent. The young man's brooding eyes locked with his as they began to circle one another, measuring, searching for any sign of weakness.

"You know this girl?" The man spoke to Jorah.

"Aye. And now you know of her as well, I'm afraid."

"I do not wish to kill you simply for the sake of it." the Crow said, raising his own sword before him.

"Kill or be killed, boy. There is no other way now."

Jorah lunged forward, but the young man met his blade with expert precision. A deadly swipe followed, nearly opening the knight's throat. Jorah realized then that this whelp was indeed a match for him. _Perhaps more than a match._

Jorah circled back, giving him space to reassess the opposition. He had to protect Daenerys above all else. If he lost his own life, so be it. But he would have to be sure he could take the Crow down with him.

Indeed, the boy was dressed as a brother in black. Jorah did not wish to end his life, but he knew too much. _One less thief or rapist roaming the haunted forests of Westeros._ He told himself. _His brothers will never know I killed him. They'll never even find his corpse this far from Castle Black._

In the midst of this consideration the boy rushed forward. Their blades met in midair and it swiftly became a contest of strength. Each man's sword was crossed before his chest, both trying to bend to other upon the ground. The Crow's hilt pressed towards Jorah's face, a gleaming wolf's head glared into his eyes. _Almost like my fath-_

Jorah leapt back recklessly, and the young man's sword sliced downward into his thigh. The knight limped several steps away from the crow.

"Where- Where did you get that blade?" he choked. Flashes from of his exile and escape to Essos flooded the knight's mind.

"WHERE?!" he demanded.

The Crow seemed uncertain of what to do, though the knight had lost his defensive form, leaving his vital areas wide open.

"My sword? My sword was passed to me by the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch after I saved his life. Longclaw is it's name."

Stunned, Jorah replied, "Jeor Mormont is dead, boy."

"Aye, but I spared him a worse fate some time before his passing."

He pointed Longclaw at the nearly extinguished flames. "He would have met that end, in fact."  
Jorah looked to the body, no bigger than a child's.

Dany's voice suddenly reached out to him. "He saved my life, Jorah. The child meant to kill me."

"A wildling?"

"No." answered the Crow. "A wight. Born of a White Walker."

Jorah's breath caught in his throat. "White Walker?... That's imposs-"

"No, Ser. It's truth. So you see, I have greater concerns than the mindless slaughter of a lone princess and her exiled knight... yes, Jorah Mormont- I spent too many hours in the company of your father to not recognize his ghost staring out at me from your eyes."

Taking a leap of faith, the Crow stepped forward, lowering his sword and extending his arm in a peaceful gesture. "Lord Commander Jon Snow of the Night's Watch."

_Commander._

His father would not have taken a dishonest man under his wing. _He cast his own son out for dishonoring him, after all_. Jorah reached forward, slowly, grasping Snow just below the elbow.

"Lord Snow, I thank you for defending the princess where I failed to do so."

Jon met his eyes, and gave him a small nod, gripping the knight's forearm briefly. "Now tell me, how in seven hells did the lost Targaryen princess and the last of the Mormont House find themselves wandering the forests beyond the Wall?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Daenerys**

Daenerys felt some of her strength replenished. Though the smell of burning flesh made her stomach churn, the heat from the flames washed over her body, sinking into her skin and filling her with life.

She opened her eyes after the clash of swords had subsided. She could not bear to watch Ser Jorah die, nor the beautiful stranger._ And he is beautiful_, she thought, taking him in completely. Though his face was pale as the snow falling around him, it was a perfect frame for the dark black pools that stared out into the night. Equally dark hair fell just above his shoulders, and shadowed his jawline. He looked like he had been born of these dark northern woods, born of ice and snow as she was born of fire and blood. His countenance was grim, and his eyes haunted by many sorrows- but all of this suited him. Perfectly.

And suddenly those eyes met hers.

"Now tell me, how in the seven hells did the lost Targaryen princess and the last of the Mormont House find themselves wandering the forests beyond the Wall?"

"Long story, that." Jorah replied, gaurdedly. "But my father trusted you. Can I assume the same for Daenerys and myself?"

Daenerys felt Jon's eyes pull away to return to Jorah, and she realized she hadn't been breathing. Her lips, chapped from the bitter cold, parted to pull in a soft gasp of air.

"Unless you're hiding an army somewhere amongst these trees with intentions of leading an attack on the Wall, you'll find no enemy in me. I can only imagine you're here to swear an oath and lay claim to your father's pardon, yes?"

Jorah dipped his head in agreement. "No army, only a weary mount."

"Then you had better tell me this long story of yours while we ride toward Castle Black. As you have seen, these woods are no longer safe to wander. If they ever were."

Jon sheathed his sword, "Longclaw" he had called it, and walked back towards his garron. Taking a handful of mane, he swung himself over the horse's back in a flash of cloak and furs.

Jorah sheathed his sword as well, stepping further into the trees to fetch their horse. Like Daenerys, the animal was only a shadow of itself when he brought it before her.

"What did you do to the poor beast Ser Jorah?" she asked, standing slowly and running a hand down it's trembling withers. She took the gelding's head in her hands and whispered soothing words into his ear.

"I only chased the damned brute for a mile after he broke free from camp and disappeared as if the seven devils were upon him."

Daenerys met Jorah's eyes. "That's why you left me. To catch our mount?"

"Yes, Princess. You know I would never leave your side, unless your life depended on it."

Daenery's brow furrowed. "And what of your life, Ser?"

Jorah dropped his gaze from hers. "My life is worth little in comparison, Khaleesi."

Dany reached out to place a hand on his cheek. "Out here, my knight, I am no Khaleesi. But thank you for remaining my protector. You did not fail me tonight, you only did what you could."

A wave of emotion washed over the knight's face, and his eyes burned into hers. But just as quickly as it came, he stored it away.

"Come, Daenerys. We must make haste from this forest." he said, taking her by the waist and lifting her into the saddle.

Dany arranged her satchel gently before her and silently prayed that their horse would see them through the night. Jorah swung into the saddle behind her, reaching around her waist to gather the reins. He nudged their mount forward to join Lord Snow, and she couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be pulling her rather roughly against him.

As they started out into the night, Jorah spoke softly into her ear. "I've told you why I had to leave our camp, Princess. Now tell me, what possessed you to do the same."

Dany couldn't help but feel it was less a a question and more a command. Especially with the way he held her possessively against his body. But it was an answer that she owed him. He had risked much in bringing her to Westeros and she had almost thrown it all away.

"I thought you had left me, Ser Jorah. And you can't blame me for thinking so, given your past betrayal. Though, I couldn't figure out why you would have left the dragons behind. And that was when I saw the child. I thought he was dying. His skin was ashen and he was all alone. I tried to go to him, but he turned from me and I followed."

Jorah sighed behind her. "You have a gentle heart, Daenerys. It is both your greatest strength and your greatest weakness."

Daenerys remained silent. She knew he was right. She knew she shouldn't have chased a ghost of a child through a frozen forest. It was a miracle that Lord Snow had come upon them.  
_Lord Snow_. They had drawn up beside the man in black. He studied them for a short moment.

"Shall we, then?" He drove his horse forward into a slow trot.

Their mount seemed as determined to escape the looming trees as they were and kept a fair pace with the other garron.  
Jorah filled the Black Brother in on bits and pieces of their journey across the Narrow Sea, skillfully trimming out anything that could be regarded as a threat to Westeros.

Jon was silent for a long while, but slowly his eyes fell over Dany once again. "And you, Princess... you truly are the Mother of Dragons?"

Before Jorah could protest, Dany dared to breathe, "Yes. I am."

"And you carry them with you?"

"I do. Three of them. They are very young, still. No larger than cats, really."

"Still," Jon tilted his head, looking at the satchel. "That must be a burden for you."

Daenerys clutched the leather. "Children are no burden to their mother, my Lord."

Jon gave half a sad smile. "Indeed not. So long as they are her true children, and I can see that they are yours."

They rode on for a long time, the sky beginning to lighten above them.

"I'm afraid the Mother of Dragons will find few friends in Westeros. Everyone and their brother is a King in his own mind these days. Robert Baratheon wanted your head, or so rumor had it. Now that he is gone, and Joffrey as well, few have eyes on you anymore. But if news of your arrival should be known, I promise they would all rally together, if only for a moment, to see the last Targaryen heir destroyed."

Daenerys shivered. Jorah tightened his arms around her.

The trees were beginning to thin around them when Jon suddenly brought his garron to a halt. Lord Snow looked down, the air curling into a fine mist with his breath.

"What do you intend to do with the girl, Mormont? You can't possibly expect to keep her at Castle Black. We keep no women."

"Take no wives, father no sons..." Jorah finished for him. "I've no intention of those things." he added with a marked sorrow. "But you are Lord Commander, surely you can offer her protection. She is innocent. Here she has nothing. To breathe her very name is to end her life."

Daenerys watched as Jon closed his eyes. When he finally opened them, he was looking straight into her own imploring violets. She held him there for a long while.  
"I'd advise you to ride South, Ser Jorah. If you choose to do so, I'll forget our meeting. You'll find your her chances of survival will only increase the further you ride from the Wall."

Jorah shifted in the saddle, and Daenerys felt his manhood pressing up against her. A small thrill ran the course of her spine, and her cheeks flushed brightly. It had been a long while since she had been with a man. She saw Jon's dark eyes flicker over her, his head tilted ever so slightly.

Jorah, fortunately, could not see her face. "I'm a traitor, Lord Snow. I've nowhere else to go, save for the Wall. And Daenerys has no one to protect her but myself... you're a man of the Night's Watch. Sworn to protect the innocent. And she is innocent. Surely you could conceal her? If only for a while- until we can arrange other plans for her. Should she be glimpsed, I doubt the likes of peasant boys and lowly criminals would know that which they saw. They are not versed in their histories, they've never laid eyes on a Targaryen..."

Jon gave them both a hard look. "Haven't they?"

Daenerys mind snapped to full attention. "What is your meaning, Lord Snow?"  
But Jon did not entertain her question. "It is not the brothers I'm concerned with, Ser Jorah. The Night's Watch is now the nest of Stannis' pet. The Red Woman, Melisandre. She will sense the princess, and if she does not use her for her own dark purposes, she will have her handed over to her King. She may already know of your coming."

Daenerys knew nothing of this Red Woman. "Ser Jorah?" She said, turning her head to look into his eyes. "What does this mean?"

Jorah's eyes held a new fear inside of them.

"It means, Khaleesi, that there is no safe haven for you in Castle Black. It means that all of Westeros is not safe for the lost Targaryen princess. And it means that Castle Black is no longer an unbent force within the Seven Kingdoms."

"We do not bend the knee to Stannis." Jon said roughly. "We are only a shadow of the Night's Watch now. We haven't the strength to stand against Stannis, and no one can be trusted in these dark times. We accommodate him, but we do not serve him. We serve only the realm."

A sad smile flickered over Jon's face. "But winter is coming. And when winter comes, no man is stronger, better or richer than the next... so we only need entertain them for a while. When winter comes, this game of thrones will be forgotten. And all the lives lost will have been for nothing."

Jon's horse was beginning to get impatient. "We've no place for the girl, nor does the rest of Westeros. If you would risk her life within our Walls, that is your choice. I fooled the Red Woman once. Perhaps it can be done again. Though I do not like the odds. Your choice, knight."

Daenerys could almost hear Jorah going over their situation, like a battle plan, in his mind behind her. _The odds have not turned in our favor..._ Dany _thought miserably. I was a queen in Essos with a mighty army, and now I will die here._

_Perhaps we could go back..._

"We go on to Castle Black, Lord Snow. If you will have us."

Daenerys blood beat in her ears. _I am a dragon. I will not be afraid of this Red Woman._

Jon nodded. "Your services will be much appreciated on the Wall, Ser Jorah."

He looked then to Daenerys. "And I swear Princess, on my oath, that I will do everything I can to conceal and protect you. Though you must promise to do as I command while you are within my walls."

Daenerys breath caught in her throat, but she nodded slowly in agreement.

"Very well then. To the gates."


End file.
